The Seeing Eye is more than a 501(c)3 non-profit, it is also a school. When we refer to our students, we mean those who travel from across the United States and Canada each month to be matched, and train with, their new Seeing Eye dogs. We refer to those training sessions as classes.
When they are in class, our students are given both structured and tailored learning opportunities with their new dogs. Our classes begin with specific training routes and between trips with their new dog, students attend lectures on everything from grooming and vet care, to how to deal with interference from the public.
Once the newly formed teams pass their solo routes, the culmination of the training period that covers the structured routes through downtown Morristown, students can tailor their class experience with outings that mimic the conditions and environments they encounter when they return to their daily lives.
Some of these tailored class experiences are planned in advance. For example, students who live in snowy climates may specifically request to train in the winter so they can gain the experience of working with their new guide in the snow.
All students who come to class at The Seeing Eye are given the option to make a day drip into New York City where they will ride the subway, navigate busy streets and crosswalks and experience distractions like carriage horses, pigeons and crowds. Other experience that our students might request range from visiting a farm to learn how their dog reacts to horses or hiking on trials. Some students request training trips at night, because they may have significantly less, or no vision after dark, and it really helps them hone their skills and trust their dog.
Following are some photos of our students from a recent class. We promise it’s purely coincidence that they are all training with black Labs!
Two students with black Labs are hiking on a forest trail while in class at The Seeing Eye. A young man is in front and a young woman follows. The instructor has taken this photo from behind them and is not visible.
